Mountains of the Moon University (MMU)

Mountains of the Moon University (MMU) is a not-for-profit Community University whose ownership is expressed through the various representative communities which include the Districts, Municipalities, Religious communities and the Business Communities of the Rwenzori Region. No person or external organization profits from the University and any surpluses generated by university activities will be reinvested within the university or re-directed for the benefit of the community.

The university is unique in Uganda as it was conceived and founded by leaders in the local community in western Uganda. The legal status is a Company Limited by Guarantee, the directors of which are the university founders, under the Chairmanship of Hon. Justice S. T. Manyindo. The Articles of Association of the Company define the University as a not for profit institution [Article 5 ‘no portion of (profits, income and property) shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus, distribution in specie or otherwise howsoever nor by way of profit to its members or Directors and any such distribution is expressly prohibited’].

As a community university the Directors hold the university [Article 2 ‘in trust for the community’]. The community stakeholders are represented on the University Council which is responsible for the general governance, supervision, and control of University affairs. The University Council has representatives of members of the public; representatives of all stakeholder districts in the community nominated by the respective district councils; representatives of the business community and representatives of faith-based denominations.

Location
Mountains of the Moon University is named after the Rwenzori which is a range of mountains that link the following areas together: Kabarole, Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kibaale, Bushenyi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.


The University is located at Kabundaire, less than a kilometer from the center of the town of Fort Portal. Kabundaire is off the Fort Portal-Kampala road just after the bridge and it is on the left side of the road as you leave Fort Portal town on Kampala road.
Adjacent to the University, among others, is Gardens’ Restaurant and Kaburuga’s garage.

The main campus is under construction at Lake Saaka, which is about 8 kilometers from Fort Portal town.


Historical background

The idea of starting a University in this part of Uganda began in 2000 and Mountains of the Moon University (MMU) was registered and incorporated as a company Limited by Guarantee on 28th June 2002.

The founding Committee consisted of Prof. Edward Rugumayo, Justice Seth Manyindo, Hon. Colonel Tom Butime, Dr. Jockey B. Nyakaana, Fr. Albert Byaruhanga(RIP), Hon. Percy Night Tuhaise, Mr. Yusuf Karmali, Ms Charlotte Karungi, Dr. Arseni Semana, Prof. Oswald Ndoleriire and Eng. Dr. Albert Rugumayo.

In 2003 the Project Officer for Volunteer Missionary Movement (VMM) visited Uganda and the group in Kampala, through Fr. Albert Byaruhanga, contacted VMM with the request of sending a volunteer to assist in heading the proposed University.

The request was granted which saw Dr. Patrick Davey coming to Uganda in November of 2003. The University did not start as planned due to a number of factors one of which was the question of obtaining a provisional license to allow it to operate.

After a lot of hard work by people in Kampala and in Fort Portal, the University finally had all the necessary papers to qualify it to be a University.

After a couple of visits by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), the University finally obtained its long awaited provisional license on March 29, 2005, thus being the first University to begin its operations with a license.

Though the University officially opened with the intake of August 2005, it boasts of an in-take of teacher students who were admitted in May 2005.

Vision, Mission and Objectives

University Vision

" Being a Leading Centre of Excellence in teaching, research, and service to the Community."

Mission

“ To produce graduates well trained, educated, innovative, practical, morally and spiritually balanced, socially responsible, and problem solvers with competence, confidence, commitment, enthusiasm, team spirit, respect, integrity, and honesty."

Objectives of the University

To develop the human resource potential of the country through:

* Provision of quality education.

* Provision of areas of study that are vital to meet the challenges of the country and the Western Region in particular.

* Promotion of research

* Producing independent minded socially conscious and responsible individuals.

* Placing premium on character building by focusing on good teaching, research, scholarship, integrity, hard work, physical fitness, and well being of the individual.

Through these objectives the University aims, therefore, at encouraging and assisting all students to reach the maximum development of their academic and personal potential.